Coin-operated mechanism.



No. 849,306. v PATENTED Am. 1901.

J. J. WOOD. 3 COIN-OPERATED MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1905.

FIG. 2.

i M Q 7 75 I i 3 WigVESSESi rinrrn sra r n s PATENT orrrcn JAMES J.WOOD, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

COIN-OPERATED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Original application filed May 24,1905, $eria1 No. 262,194. Divided andthis application filed September 12, 1905- Serial No. 278,085-

To ctZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that LJAMES J. WooD, a c tizen of the United States,residing at Fort WV yne, in the'county of Allen and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ooin-OperatedMechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This application is divisional of my application, Serial No. 262,194,filed May 24, 1905.

This invention provides certain improvements applicable to coin-actuatedmechanisms and relating particularly to the construction of thecoin-receiving box and its engagement with the casing of the apparatusto which the coinoperated mechanism is applied.

Although otherwise applicable, my invention is especially designed foruse with prepayment electric meters. Its object is to provide aconstruction whereby the coin-receiving box may be sunk within a recessin the front of the meter-casing.

A prepayment-meter of a construction to which my present invention isapplicable is set forth in my application, Serial No. 235,412, filedDecember 3, 1904.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a frontelevation of anelectric meter, showing the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same, partly in vertical midsection. Fig. 3is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 3 8 of Fig. 2 lookingtoward the front. Fig. 4 shows a fragment of the meter-casing in sectionwith the coin-b ox in elevation, partly displaced.

Let A designate as a whole the electric meter or other apparatus towhich the coin-operated mechanism is applied. Let B designate the casingof such meter or other apparatus, and D the portion or section of thecasing inclosing the coin-actuated mechanism. J is the actuating wheelor knob of this mechanism.

L is the discharge-conduit, which receives the coin discharged from thecoin-actuated mechanism, and M is the coin-box in which these coins areaccumulated. The coin-operated mechanism is not shown; but for anunderstanding of such mechanism reference is made to my saidapplication, Serial No. 235,412.

My invention provides a novel construction and arrangement of thecoin-receptacle or box M. In my former construction this box was locatedwholly beneath the metercasing. and was detachable by displacing itdownwardly after unlocking. With some constructions of electric meter,however, the meter-casing is already so long that to further prolong itby attaching the coin-box beneath would be undesirable, and in suchcases according to my present invention I mainly inclose the coin-box Mwithin the meter-casing, selecting some portion thereof where theinterior space required to accommodate the coin-box is not used by anyportion of the mechanism of the meter.

Figs. 1 and 2 show my invention as applied to the Thomson electricmeter, which is modified by adding the auxiliary casing B, inclosing theprepayment mechanism, so that this projects above the top of themeter-casing, and by constructing in the latter an inwardly-projectingbox or compartment 70, the front of which is exposed by an opening 71,out through the front of the casing, through which front opening thecoin-box M may be introduced by pushing it backwardly from the front.The box M has, as formerly, an upwardly-curved front extension L, whichjoins the coin-conduit L, the latter being fastened thereto, so thatwhen the box is removed the conduit L comes off with it. To apply thecoin-box, the upper end of the conduit L is introduced into thecoin-discharge slot, and the box M is swung back into the compartment70. As it enters this compartment it is pressed up by a curved arm 72,fixed therein, and just before it is pressed fully back a lug (or lugs)73 encounters the lower margin of the opening 71 and requires that thebox shall be slightly lifted to bring the lug within the opening,whereby the upper end of the conduit L is pressed up fully into place inthe coin-discharge slot and the box M is brought into direct coincidencewith and fills the opening 71. To conceal the open ing, the front plateof the box is enlarged to form a flange 7 4. When the box is fullyentered, it is only necessary to turn the key 31 to the locked position,thereby fastening the box in place, the key 31 being then withdrawn.

The lock N is in general of the same construction as that set forth inmy said application, Serial No. 235,412-that is to say, it is apin-tumbler lock comprising a barrel 30, slotted to receive the key andcross-bored to receive pin-tumblers which are pressed out by springs andmove in holes drilled in the I I of the. curved branch L, so that theentering metal of the box. The barrel has a prolock carried by the boxfor fastening said box jection 35, which is turned downwardly andengages the end of the piece 72, as shown in Fig. 2 to lock the box inplace. The lock is differently arranged relatively to the box I than inmy said application in that the barrel is. arranged horizontally insteadof veriically, so that the key is introduced from branch move over thetop of this projection and as they fall are divided thereby and of,sothat this look projection or partition 7 v the front instead ofupwardly from beneath I and the pin-tumblers are arranged verticallyinstead of horizontally. These tumblers occupy a vertical planecoincident with that of the conduit L, and to incase them a projection75 is formed within the box, the top of which projects no higher thanthe bottom coins which are thrown backwardly by this compelled to fallone side or the other thereserves also the purpose of promoting adistribution of the coins Within the box and disposing of the enteringcoins in such positions as. to bring them out of the path of futurecoins. On unlocking the box it may be moved slightly forward and canthen be dropped sufficiently so that its top will clear the upper marginof the opening 71, whereupon it can be swung outwardly, as shown in Fig.4, and when sufficiently disengaged from the opening the box and conduitmay be further dropped sufficiently to bring the upper end of'theconduit out of engagement with the casing of the coin-actuated device,into which casing it normally penetrates to the extent shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 2. The conduit is thus disengaged from the casing,and the box and conduit may be removed. The box isopen at its upperside, in order that by inverting it the coins within it may be droppedout. My invention may be varied or modified in mechanical constructionand arrangement, and certain features may be omitted without impairingthe operation of those retained.

I claim as my invention 1'. The combination with a casing having a frontopening and formed with a compartment 70, of a coin-box M adapted toenter said compartment through said front opening, a coin-conduit Lfixed thereto, and a in said compartment.

2. The combination with a casing having a ter said opening, acoin-conduit L fixed to said box, and means for lifting said box as itmoves backwardly into said opening.

3. The combination With a casing having a front opening, of a coin-box Madapted to enter said opening, a coin-conduit L fixed to said box, andmeans for lifting said box as it moves backwardly into said opening,comprising an inclined guide 72 engaging the bottom of said box.

4. The combination with a casing having a front opening, of a coin-box Madapted to enter said opening, a coin-conduit L fixed to said box, saidbox having a lug 73 adapted to enter said opening upon the lifting ofthe box, and a lock for holding the box in place when so entered.

5. The combination with a casing having a front opening, of a coin-box Madapted to enter said opening, a coin-conduit L and curved branch Ladapted to deliver coins into said box, and said box formed with aninternal.

upright projection 75 adapted to divide the entering coins.

6. The combination with a casing having a front opening 71, of acoin-boxM entering said opening, having a lock N, the casing having an inwardprojection 72, and the lock having a projection engaging the same tolock the parts in place.

7. A coin-box for a coin-operated mechahism, having a partitionpartially dividing its interior, and a lock formed in said partition.

8. A coin-box for a coin-operated mechanism, adapted to receive thedischarged coins from a conduit, and having its interior par tiallydivided by a partition in line with said conduit, so that the enteringcoins are received on said partition. and caused thereby to fall intothe compartments on either side thereof.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES J. WOOD.

Witnesses: I

DOMINGO A. UsINA, THEODORE T. SNELL.

